Héctor ‘Macho’ Camacho: Five accused in 2012 murder of Puerto Rico boxing legend

Prosecutors have not yet revealed the motive for the killing

Puerto Rico Slain Boxer (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The decade-long mystery of who killed Puerto Rico’s boxing legend Héctor "Macho" Camacho is closer to being unravelled after five men were accused of the 2012 shooting.

But prosecutors have not yet revealed the motive behind why the three-time world champion was gunned down while sitting in a Ford Mustang outside the Azuquita bar in the island city of Bayamón.

As part of "Operation Knockout", police arrested one suspect in a pre-dawn raid in Bayamón on Wednesday and flew in another three suspects from Florida, where they were serving federal sentences on unrelated crimes.

A fifth suspect is currently in a Puerto Rico prison, while the sixth and seventh suspects were previously killed in unrelated events.

Janet Parra, a public prosecutor who oversees the justice department’s division of organised crime and drugs, would not reveal the evidence they had on the seven men or why they allegedly shot the 50-year-old retired boxer in the face.

"We didn’t remain with our arms crossed," Ms Parra said of the 10-year investigation.

Camacho was on life support for four days before he was declared dead at the Centro Medico trauma centre in San Juan.

His friend Adrian Mojica Moreno, who was also shot and died at the scene, was found to have nine small bags of cocaine in his pocket and a 10th bag that was open in the car.

Suspects William Rodríguez Rodríguez, Luis Ayala García and Joshua Méndez Romero are being held on an $800,000 bond. Jesús Naranjo Adorno is being held on a $300,000 bond, while the fifth suspect, Juan Figueroa Rivera, is held on a $1m bond.

"This case shook (the island) ... A star of Puerto Rico boxing died," said Jessika Correa, who oversees public prosecutors.

Known for his skill in the ring and his flamboyance outside of it, Camacho won world championships in three weight classes; WBC super featherweight, WBC lightweight, WBO junior welterweight.

Along the way, he won three New York Golden Gloves tournaments and fought some of the biggest names in boxing of any era, including Mexican superstar Julio Cesar Chavez, Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya. He knocked out Sugar Ray Leonard into permanent retirement.

Camacho’s elderly mother proudly strode into Puerto Rico’s Department of Justice, with her right fist raised, shortly after the charges were announced.

"Justice! Justice has been done!" Maria Matias said. "I can sleep in peace. I can eat and drink a little cup of coffee in the morning."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.